A Monster Calls is a gruelling emotional exploration of loss and grief as seen from the point of view of Conor O’Malley. Conor is a 12 year old whose life is being ripped apart as he watches his beloved mother engulfed by cancer and the prospect looming of living with the grandmother he dislikes. And if that wasn’t bad enough, just for good measure he’s being bullied at school.

The monster, a yew tree brought to life by Liam Neeson, arrives to impart guidance in the form of stories animated in stunning watercolour. Never sentimental and often unexpected this is a beautiful film if you can stand the deep and underlying sadness running throughout.

Overview

In 1926, Newt Scamander arrives at the Magical Congress of the United States of America with a magically expanded briefcase, which houses a number of dangerous creatures and their habitats. When the creatures escape from the briefcase, it sends the American wizarding authorities after Newt, and threatens to strain even further the state of magical and non-magical relations.

The CGI stuff was expertly executed, but we wouldn’t expect anything less given this film’s pedigree. The beasts were ingenious and the small details in almost every scene were clever and smile inducing. A couple of times I was reminded of Mary Poppins, think carpet bag and the tidying up scene. However, the storyline was thin with too many tails and by the end it felt like an overlong trailer for the four sequels to come. Although there was little character development maybe this will be a slow release over the duration of the franchise if they continue with the same cast. Overall it was average, hopefully the next one will be meatier. Special mention for Alison Sudol for a luminous, almost Monroe-esque performance.

Adventure is on the menu

20161 h 23 min

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Overview

Sausage Party, the first R-rated CG animated movie, is about one sausage leading a group of supermarket products on a quest to discover the truth about their existence and what really happens when they become chosen to leave the grocery store.

Where do I start with Sausage Party? Racial stereotypes and just about every religion insulted in the first 30 minutes – at least this film is an equal opportunities offender.

If you don’t like sweary films and the depiction of sex acts by animated food then this probably isn’t for you (okay, I take your point WHO does like that last one?) The film is weird and clever in unequal parts, one minute I was laughing at a cutting one liner and the next I was cringing at “holes” and “meat” gags. Maybe because we’re so used to mainstream animation being cute and cuddly that an adult rated film seems cruder and ruder than if the same lines were uttered by a live action character. The saving grace for me was the overall concept of the movie, the analogy between the Great Beyond promised when food became the ‘chosen ones’ and were taken from the supermarket and the futility of religion.

I might have blushed watching the last ten minutes when it went into food-sex frenzy overdrive and I was grateful that I was alone at this daytime showing, I wouldn’t have wanted to catch anyone’s eye over the popcorn!

The world is more giant than you can imagine.

20162 h 00 min

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Overview

The BFG is no ordinary bone-crunching giant. He is far too nice and jumbly. It's lucky for Sophie that he is. Had she been carried off in the middle of the night by the Bloodbottler, or any of the other giants—rather than the BFG—she would have soon become breakfast. When Sophie hears that the giants are flush-bunking off to England to swollomp a few nice little chiddlers, she decides she must stop them once and for all. And the BFG is going to help her!

I’m beginning to suffer from CGI overload but even my jaded cynicism was won over by this fabulous film. Okay, there were holes in the plot and it was a little overlong but it was sweet, heartwarming and funny, beautifully directed and the CGI stunning. Ruby Barnhill was a believable, down-to-earth and brave Sophie and the voice of Mark Rylance was just perfect for the BFG. Penelope Wilton was super as the Queen and fun that it was set sometime in the 70s (the Queen phoning ‘Ronnie and Nancy’). Good family fun and not just for the kids.

Two worlds. One home.

20162 h 03 min

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Overview

The peaceful realm of Azeroth stands on the brink of war as its civilization faces a fearsome race of invaders: orc warriors fleeing their dying home to colonize another. As a portal opens to connect the two worlds, one army faces destruction and the other faces extinction. From opposing sides, two heroes are set on a collision course that will decide the fate of their family, their people, and their home.

In spite of the dire reviews from the critics I really enjoyed seeing WoW come to life on the big screen at Hinckley Cineworld. Full disclosure: I’ve been a WoW player off and on for over 10 years so may be biased, but I was really curious how this would pan out and had a horrible sinking feeling after reading the professional critics reviews, but maybe they’re not gamers. During the first couple of minutes, as we were introduced to the Orc heroes I was like hmmm…not sure I can root for the Horde. (I’m an Alliance girl through and through) but then we switched to the sight of a familiar fortress hewn from stone. Ironforge! my spiritual home (dwarf/hunter). Then onto Stormwind, Goldshire, Elwyn Forest – all so familiar. Although this has obviously been made to appeal to the widest audience there are lots of nods to WoWers – the portals, the gryphon flights (that land in the right place at Stormwind) and even the fleeting sight and sound of a Murloc! The storyline was okay, the CGI was pretty impressive and overall a good time was had by all, well me at least. I’ll be interested to see if non-WoWers find it entertaining but I got a kick out of it and from the ending it looks like it was set up for a sequel.

For Azeroth! For the Alliance!

As I leaving I was greeted by the manager, jokingly telling me I should be barred (I’m there so often), at least I hope it was a joke – yes, I’m sure it was a joke!